I also had a Kala in the early days. It passed through my hands quite quickly. Intonation was way off, the tuners were misaligned, it was terrible. I think some of the Kala Elite range is interesting but I also think they should have dropped 'Kala' and given them a whole new brand name to separate them from the mainstream offerings. Just adding 'Elite' is not enough. It's like saying Hyundai Elite. It just doesn't work.
Mims Ukes
- Thread starter Nickie
- Start date
Mim
Well-known member
Flight and Makai!
When I offer a brand, I offer it thoroughly. I had no room, nor the funds, to thoroughly offer them. But I am liquidating my Kalas, and already have 2 sizeable orders on the way to me!
My Makais are being shipped freight (it is that big), and they only deliver on Wednesday. So fingers crossed they get to the local depot before Wednesday, but if not it will be the week after.
And that might be the same situation for Flight. I am waiting for a tracking number.
Makai is comparable to Ohana, but they have some really unique, fun, and funky models that I think people are really going to enjoy! Plus some nice basics that will round out my inventory. And being familiar with the build I already know how to get them all setup and dialed in for my customers!
Then the Flight has some wonderful options in all price points. They have the travel ukes which I am excited to offer as a dolphin alternative. The action is better, requires less setup, and they sound better. And are priced at about $5 more. So very worth it. Their starter laminates have some fun colors and designs, but they are well made. Because some people contact me and they want to start with a laminate, but the design is very important. But many companies that have a great design are lacking the in quality department. So this is the best of both worlds. And their higher ends are gorgeous, well-made, and unique. They have a great tone, and a cool headstock.
So all in all, I am kind of glad for the push out the door. I have tried to hang in there for years... I won't go into all the details. But the new points system (though hooray for Kala getting their sales directly and customers for getting a discount) really does not favor dealers at all and actually puts them in direct competition with their own dealers. So if you want an un-setup Kala direct from the warehouse. Check it out. (That last bit sounded snarky, but is true. I can't figure out how to soften it).
Another side note, the people behind Flight and Makai are awesome as well. Makai is under new ownership and my sales contact just came back on board and is a friend of mine. Juliana from Flight and I have been in contact and she is super nice, thoughtful about her brand and dealers, and passionate about her ukuleles. So there is also going to be good vibes in all these ukuleles as well. Which sounds cheesy, but I swear it makes a difference.
So... there is the story.
10% off Kalas right now at MimsUkes.com... including cases. And then in a week it will drop to 15%... and so on... until they are gone. And yes, they will be set-up!
Mim
Well-known member
Yes! Those big dealers not being myself, but GC and Sweetwater and such. The nail in the coffin was Kala is selling items on clearance for maybe $2 more than I bought them for. Then with the discount I just can't "price match". And all the emails are, "Can you price match?" I can't. But then it makes me sound like a grump in my reply. And I am not. I just literally can't.
Mim
Well-known member
They will rely on their customers to give exposure according to the points system. If you post on social media you get points. If you refer a friend you get points. It is just all too much. There are some rising stars in the ukulele world I am glad to give exposure to!
Mim
Well-known member
Hooray! Good to know! I only got to try them at a very very very loud NAMM show.
Mim
Well-known member
I call my 10% off the Kenny Rogers Sale... use discount code "Rogers".
Why?
"You gotta know when to hole 'em, know when to fold 'em."
Mim
Well-known member
Yeah. For me, there were people hell bent on getting a Kala. So I stocked just certain models (I was very picky. No Pacific Walnut, no Laminate Koa) because if you are hell bent to get a Kala, you might as well get it well set up.
Mim
Well-known member
Oooooooo....... yes...... and we got to support the little guys right now. I am one. People think I am bigger than I am. I am a one person operation. But luckily I was setup to be very busy during a pandemic working by myself in an isolated location. But if I don't have what you want, please check out my Friends of Mim page and shop small.
https://www.mimsukes.com/pages/friendsofmim
Mim
Well-known member
Oh Ohana... how I love thee... let me count the ways...
-Great Value for price
-True to wood tone
-Customer care
-Good to dealers
-GREAT people!
Mim
Well-known member
Do you love your The Rebel? I love them! So light and lovely and lilting and crisp and juicy and warm and rich! And that multi-wood inlay.
I'm sure Mim has made the best choices for her business and for her customers. I personally would trust her judgement on anything ukulele-related.
My first good ukulele was a Kala Tenor, the "Music Guy Mike" tribute model. It wasn't particularly cheap, being solid rosewood and spruce, but it was (and still is) a great sounding ukulele. I wasn't playing it that much and was in the market for an upgrade, so I ended up selling it to my ukulele teacher, who is still using it for performance and recording. The fact that I bought it from HMS and it had their great, full setup surely contributed to the playability. I kind of doubt I would have been as impressed with it if it had just been pulled from the warehouse, boxed up, and shipped. I still think Kala is a good option for beginner-to-intermediate players as long as it's either professionally setup or you get lucky.
My first good ukulele was a Kala Tenor, the "Music Guy Mike" tribute model. It wasn't particularly cheap, being solid rosewood and spruce, but it was (and still is) a great sounding ukulele. I wasn't playing it that much and was in the market for an upgrade, so I ended up selling it to my ukulele teacher, who is still using it for performance and recording. The fact that I bought it from HMS and it had their great, full setup surely contributed to the playability. I kind of doubt I would have been as impressed with it if it had just been pulled from the warehouse, boxed up, and shipped. I still think Kala is a good option for beginner-to-intermediate players as long as it's either professionally setup or you get lucky.
Mim
Well-known member
Awwww, thanks.
Yeah, I actually did not want to go out with a bang. I was thinking about sliding away from Kala. So I weighted the pros and cons. I slid away from Baritones and I still field emails about Baritones only to have to reply I don't offer them anymore. Plus, I needed to do a liquidation sale of Kala to get the money to open up accounts with the other 2 companies.
I really have no ill-will towards the Kala ukuleles in general and would not un-recommend them. But I would never recommend without a set-up and getting a true set-up is rare these days.
Doesn't sound snarky to me, Mim! Having seen the work that you put into your setups, I can't imagine buying a factory direct ukulele from any manufacturer, be it Kala or even a Koaloha/Kamaka/Kanile'a. (Well, maybe for a Blackbird Farallon I'd make an exception, but I'm not sure of that.
)You, Hawaii Music Supply, the U-Space in LA, Funky Frets, and maybe (maybe) I'd consider Elderly in Lansing for something that the others don't carry, like Blackbird. But the person one gets one's uke from (and the setup that person performs) really matters!
EDIT: Mainland ukuleles is my exception--I would be happy to get a Mainland uke directly from Mike, of course.
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Mim
Well-known member
Truth. Love Love Love Mainland and Mike and Tookta!
That's good to hear. I have been intrigued by The Rebel instruments. The only thing holding me back is that they don't seem to make an actual concert. They have sopranos, long-necked concerts, and tenors. Always seemed odd to me.
Back to the original topic of this thread, I am sad to see the direction Kala is heading. I think that they have some very good instruments, and I own several. Business is business, but I hate that they have decided to take their considerable market share and not use some of that muscle to support the business model of the smaller specialty shops. I'm sure Kala will do fine, but this sort of behavior will actively hurt some places. After all, people will come looking for that "Kala" brand they hear about on the internet, and customers will probably be lost because of it. But if it doesn't make financial sense to carry them, then it just doesn't make sense. And so those customers will buy instruments that haven't been setup from big-box retailers or online and they will have a worse experience. Which will probably only perpetuate the misconception that ukuleles are just "toys".
The more I think about all this, the sadder I become.
Graham Greenbag
Well-known member
I don’t think that Snarky at all but rather a simple statement of fact.
Personally, here in the U.K., my choice would be to buy a Uke that hasn’t been set-up at a price that reflects that lack of added value, and then to carefully do the work myself - which can take a long time but the results are worth it to me. Having been sold clearly untouched Ukes by a ‘Premier’ dealer who advised that all their Ukes were set-up prior to despatch I have been given reason to distrust. Of course if I was in the USA then your reputation goes before you and is regularly validated here. If someone reliably does a good job (like you) and doesn’t overcharge then we’d be daft not to use them (perhaps that’s why you’re so busy - the rewards of treating customers fairly).
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Mim
Well-known member
The FINALLY came out with the true concert! Yay! And my first batch ended up being super pretty. I am not self-promoting, but just because I think they are so pretty here they are here for your viewing pleasure:
https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=the rebel concert mims&price_max=700
Mim
Well-known member
I take individual pictures of every ukulele too... sort of as proof you are getting an in-stock instrument! I cant drop ship direct from the manufacturer because you would know you arent getting the ukulele in the picture.
